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IN THE CUPBOARD (FILM)

In the cupboard is a 2012 Nigerian film that focuses on siblings who return to their family home to attend their father’s burial and end up discovering several secrets about themselves and their family. A story by Kehinde Olorunyomi, produced by Caroline Danjuma and is directed by Desmond Elliot. The movie stars Ini Edo, Uti Nwachukwu, Biola Segun Williams, Alex Ekubo, Tess Abubakar, Ginnefine Kanu.

Plot summary

Veronica Desouza (Biola Segun Williams) is the newly widowed wife of Micheal Desouza and mother of five children. Veronica and Michael are unable to have children due to an accident that happened several years ago which rendered Michael infertile. So Veronica ends up travelling abroad to be artificially inseminated. This information is kept a secret to all the children in the family.

Jenkins Desouza (Uti Nwachukwu) is the first son. He takes over the Desouza Company after the death of Michael Desouza. He is also in love with Nkiru, a girl who worked in the company and is impregnated. Jenkins believes that the child belongs to his younger brother, Tega whom she slept with.

Trisha Desouza (Ini Edo) is the first daughter of the family. She has been married three times and is on the verge of her third divorce. She is constantly ridiculed on the fact that she can’t keep her husbands, not knowing that she is a closet lesbian who is having an affair with their family’s female lawyer, Ms. Chidi Nwankwo.

Tega Desouza (Alex Ekubo) is a Lawyer in South Africa. He Is the alleged father of Nkirus child. This leaves Jenkins the one who provides for Nkiru and her child after he believes she is abandoned by Tega, thus stimulating bad blood between the two brothers.

Junior is the mischievous one In the family. An up and coming actor, who only cares about the inheritance which his father has left for him in the will.

Tara is definitely the baby of the family though 24yrs old every one treats her as such. She works on her school project which involves a camcorder. Her school project is a documentary on the Desouza family which is why she is constantly seen recording everything.

During the reading of the will however, secrets come spilling out of the bag. Apparently Jenkins as a form of revenge did some digging on his brother Tega and finds out that he isn’t actually Micheal's son. He tells Tega of his findings during the reading of the will, which causes a huge disruption and the will ends up not being read to the end.

Sheila is Jenkins secretary and is also in love with him, but Jenkins doesn't share the same feelings. she turns to her sister for some advice on the matter, who tells her to move on from him that Jenkins is not worthy of her love. Sheila refuses to back down and insists that Jenkins is the man for her afterall her sister is the one dating a mechanic.

Trisha was the next person to find out that Michael Desouza wasn’t really her father. She confronts her mum with a gun asking for answers. Tara emerges with her camcorder which she had previously left in Trisha’s room. The camcorder had recorded Trisha and her lover. It is with this that everyone finds out that she is actually a Lesbian. After all that commotion the will is finally read to the end. This time around a video made by the father is presented. On this video he confesses that he isn’t actually their father, but that veronica was artificially inseminated and that his only biological child is actually Nkiru’s son. This causes Jenkins and Tega to erupt. Accusing Nkiru of being a liar and pretending the son belong to Tega. Nkiru then interrupts them stating that she never said the child was actually Tega’s, she talks about how Jenkins just assumed it was Tega's and she never opposed his notion.

After the big reveal that none of the desouza children were fathered by Michael, they all abandon their mother too pissed to stay back for the burial. All except Tara who tries to convince them that "a man doesn't have to be biological to be a father" but her words of wisdom didn't do anything to hinder their decision. On their way to the airport, the children reconsider and turn around. The children return home to find their mother unconscious and an almost empty bottle of pills spilled on the bedside table. They begin to lament, but the mum ends up opening her eyes and is glad to see that her children returned.

Tara turns in her school project on her family which she was commended for.

Cast

• Ini Edo as Trisha Desouza.
• Biola Segun Williams as Veronica Desouza
• Uti Nwachukwu as Jenkins Desouza
• Alex Ekubo as Tega Desouza
• Tess Abubakar as Tara Desouza
• Morris K Sesay as Junior
• Ginnefine Kanu as Nkiru
• Ime 'Bishop' Umoh as Saturday
• Lydia Forson as Ms.Chidi Nwankwo
• Maryjane Okoye as Uche
• Zik Zulu Okafor as Michael Desouza
• Rosaline Meuer as Sheila/Jenkins secretary
• Annabelle Renell Hiader as Shiela's sister
• Eni Raymond as Mechanic
• Susan Peter as Lawyer 1
• Amina Gillian as lawyer 2

Production

In the cupboard was filmed mostly in areas around lekki, Nigeria. The movie is by Royal Arts Academy, in collaboration with Denziot studios, which Desmond Elliot founded.

Reception

Release

The movie opened up on the 17th August across theatres in Nigeria after its premiere in U.S. It grossed about ₦10,501,300 in the Nigerian cinemas..

Awards and Nominations

• In the cupboard was nominated and awarded the Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards (GIAMA) for Best Drama Film
• Ini Edo was nominated for Best Actress in the 2012 GIAMA
• Uti Nwachukwu was nominated and awarded best rising star male in the 2013 Nollywood Movies Awards.Uti Nwachukwu was also nominated for Best New Actor at the 2012 GIAMA which he also won.
• Alex Ekubo was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 2012 Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards.
• Desmond Elliot was nominated and awarded Best Original Sreenplay at the GIAMA
• Biola Segun Williams was nominated and awarded Best Supporting Actress at the 2012 Golden Icons Academy Awards.
• Tess Abubakar was also nominated for the best rising star female in the 2013 Nollywood Movies Award but did not win.